A Dachshund looks like a joke that learned to walk. Under the joke is a hound built to go down holes after badgers, with a spine that was asked to be both long and brave. People meet the silhouette first. The back, the bark, and the refusal to drop an argument arrive later.
They are funny, loyal, and much more dog than the length suggests. They are a poor choice if the plan was a quiet lapdog who never uses stairs.